The Storytelling Adventures of Red Phoenix

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Well it has been a busy couple of months, and so I have been somewhat lacking on the blog updates, but my time has been well spent…

October began with the annual ‘Pint Pot of Fire‘ storytelling competition, which brings together writers, speakers and storytellers to compete for the converted ‘Pint Pot’. I was back for a second year as the Storytelling Judge, and this year we judges (Rita Wheeler and Bryan Harrison) were treated to an extremely high quality of stories and both Judges and Audience had a hard time choosing the winners: 3rd Charlotte Comley (‘The Trouble with Arthur’ a tale with a zombie twist), 2nd Belinda McKenna (Yes our lovely associate storyteller, who told an amazing autobiographical story about how her life heart condition has made ‘Every Second Counts’), 1st Alison Moulden (‘Deep Fried Mars Bars at the Jungle Food Café’ which chronicled a strange visit to Edinburgh Zoo and the Penguin parade.).
The following night I ran a storytelling workshop in Alton as part of the Alton WordFest. It was well attended by beginners and seasoned tellers. Some wonderful stories were created and shared, it was a lovely evening.

A couple of days I found myself on a flight back to Canada, for 25 days of story-tastic times. I headed back to Toronto, and revisited the women’s group at ‘The Stop’ telling stories and giving a 2.5hr storytelling workshop, and even treated the after school group to some spooky stories for Halloween.

Red Phoenix telling Spooky Tales at the Canadiana Backpackers by Vera

I even nipped back to the Canadian Backpackers to do a set of spooky stories as a warm set before I headed to Ottawa to be the featured teller at the ‘Once Upon a Slam‘ which got a good write up. It was lovely revisiting the lovely ladies and lads of the Ottawa StoryTelling community, especially Ruthanne Edward, Gail Anglin, Catlin Paxson and Martha Singh, I was also really touched that some of the members (Kelly, Debbie and Gary) of the Bodhran Expert Platinum Group with whom I have been learning for the couple of years, turned out to see me tell. Thanks Guys!!!

Soon I was heading back to the UK and straight into a busy week of Halloween stories telling lots of Gruesome Grimms Fairy Tales, while Belinda returned to Marwell Wildlife Park for the third year running to bewitch crowds with more Grimms Tales (anyone would think its was the 200th Anniversary of the 1st Edition of the Grimms Fairytales being published… Oh hang on… IT IS!!!). And whilst many other were celebrating Bonfire Night I was on a train up to Edinburgh for a few days to discuss future storytelling projects and to visit my former lecturer, Dr Ksenija Hovat, and university Queen Margaret University where I was a guest lecturer, and whom have recently written an article on my progress since graduating in 2007. Dashing back to the South of England I had a wonderful morning telling dragon stories and being a Dragonologist answering questions on all types of dragons and help them investigate the strange Dragon sightings and clues left in their classrooms.

Later that day I was dinning in the Houses of Parliament as part of the WCMT annual dinner, what ever your political views, it was hard not to be impressed by the beauty of the building both inside and out.

A few days of rest and washing later and bags are packed once again, this time to head off to Somerset to take part in Shonaleigh Cumbers‘ ‘Wild Woods’ course, for which I have been excited about starting for over a year.

So as a said a busy couple of months, and with an international festival on the horizon early next year it doesn’t look set to calm down… Did I say I love my job!!!!